If Only
by Mayu Sato
Summary: Takes place during the first party of MU. What if Randall had made another friend other than Mike? Slight AU. I liked the movie, but I wish Randall could have had a bigger part.


** If Only **

The hillbilly hit him with the shovel again and again; creating gashes and breaks in his lithe body. Distantly he heard the human female telling her offspring to dump the body by the swamp, but he was too out of it tell for certain. All he knew was that a pair of hands was dragging him away. Eventually he was dropped in a crumpled heap by a pool of stagnant water, his hazy mind wandering. A memory he'd buried deep in his mind surfaced and all the sensations surfaced with it.

The music vibrated the houses walls, the powerful thumps shaking the platter in his hands. Randy could feel the vibrations travel up his spine, sending tingles of excitement through his body. Tonight he would make a good impression, and for once, he'd be popular. Mike was insistent on studying so he was alone and armed only with goodwill cupcakes, but maybe that would be enough. He didn't have to be the party's life force or the funniest guy there, and he was sure he wouldn't be either of those things, but if things went well he could get in with a semi-popular group of monsters and avoid humiliation or bullying this school year and things could be different from high school.

Randal took a deep breath, braced himself, and slithered up to the door, slipping inside without detection.

His breath caught and he inadvertently went invisible, just a tray floating in midair. The loud music pounded in his skull and everything smelled of alcohol, cigarette smoke, lust and anarchy. He released the breath he hadn't realized he'd held and moved to the side, watching everyone from the walls safety. A few feet away from him was another wallflower, head in a book, cringing each time the guitarist screeched. Randy wheezed and stepped unsurely toward her, gathering his courage to talk to her.

"H-hi," she stiffened and looked up, head swiveling before indigo eyes landed on him curiously. Not annoyed, that was good. "So you don't come to these parties often, either?" he tried, squinted gaze moving to her webbed, clawed feet and moving up over her spindly, tall frame. The she-monster shrugged.

"My roommate dragged me here, I didn't want to come because I don't know anyone and don't particularly want to."

"Uh… yeah, I don't know anyone either."

She blinked her curled eyelashes at him and twirled a stand of straightened, purple hair.

"Now that's not true, we both know one common person here."

Randal perked up and observed the room. "Really, who?" She gave him a dull look and he understood. "Oh, right, I'm Randy—uh, Randal, Randal Boggs." He extended one hand. She smiled and shook it.

"I'm Evie, door making major."

"Scare major." Evie cocked her head and smiled.

Now or never, he thought.

"Evie?"

"Hm?"

"W-will you be my pall?" he asked, offering the cupcakes. Please don't let her think that's lame.

She laughed, grin curling her lips. Randall's heart sank, she was laughing at him.

"That's really cute," Evie said fondly, taking one of them and unwrapping it. "Course I'll be your pall, buddy." She slapped him lightly on the back and took a bite, moaning around the cake. "This is so good," she said with a partial full mouth, then swallowed thickly and cleared her throat. "Did you make those?"

Randall nodded shyly, fronds bobbing. Evie smiled, "You're a great baker, if scaring doesn't work out you could totally be a pro baker."

"Scaring will work out." Randall said firmly, still squinting.

"So hey, we both know someone now, do you want to walk around so we don't look like losers who stood by the wall all night." She asked, and Randall nodded eagerly, his spines bobbing.

The two acquaintances migrated to a small group of monsters and Randall was beginning to feel more confident with Evie by his side. Just when things were looking up someone ran into him from behind and sent him face first into his baked good. The drunken monsters cackled and howled at him, his cheeks flushing a dark purple. Someone grabbed his wrist and yanked him away, his platter clattering to the floor forgotten. Randall's eyes were squeezed shut around the frosting as he stumbled blindly after the person dragging him. A door slammed shut behind them and he felt himself being pushed onto a chair.

"Hold still," Evie's familiar voice instructed and he relaxed. He heard water running and a soft cloth began to wipe the mess off his face. When he was cleaned she let him go, frowning when he continued squinting. "Do you need glasses or something?"

Randall coughed. "I have some, but they ruin something I can do." Evie raised a furry purple eyebrow, but didn't ask. "Come on, let's go back to the party." The lizard hurried out of the bathroom. Evie shrugged and followed, running to catch up.

Back in the living room one of the fraternity leaders came up and shouted a greeting at Evie. Randall squeaked and went invisible for a moment. Johnny looked at him thoughtfully and grinned, but Evie pushed Randy away before he could talk to him.

"He's bad news," she whispered as they walked. "You be careful, he's just a user, someone who uses anything anyone has, then casts them aside when they're used up." She explained.

"Oh."

"You don't belong here." She said suddenly, and fear shot through Randall. Did she think he was a geek, was she going to make fun of him? "You're too nice for this rowdy crowd, they'll eat you alive if you let them." Oh.

They were by the door now, and Evie rocked on her feet shyly. "Neither of us are cut out for this kind of party… do you want to go get a drink or something, a-away from here?" Randall gulped. Was she asking him out? Play it cool, Randy.

"Sure, do you like Screamy Temples?" Soda? Come on, Randall, that's no way to impress a girl!

"They're my favorite!"

Phew.

"Great, let's go, and maybe after we could… study together? It's not that late yet." He said hopefully, fingers drumming against each other.

"Sounds good, we can quiz each other, I have some practice tests for scaring." Randall looked at her questioningly. "Oh, my dad's the teacher."

"Professor Knight?" he asked incredulously. Evie nodded.

"Right, he wanted me to go into scaring, but I didn't want to. But I study it on the side to make him happy."

. . .

They sat on his bed, pouring over books.

"I wish you hadn't joined that jerks fraternity." Evie said offhandedly, flipping the page and writing something down. Randall sighed. "I mean it! He's using you, Randall." He face softened and she stroked his cheek. "I know you want to be one of the cook kids, but I don't want you to get hurt, he's making you a different person." She exhaled and pulled away.

They'd had this conversation before.

"Do you not like that person?"

Evie cringed as if he hit her.

"…I like him, but I liked the monster I met first better." Randall scooted closed and put an arm around her.

"Y-you still want to be my girlfriend don't you?" Evie groaned and pushed him away.

"Of course, I just hate Johnny and this whole Scare Games, you could get hurt."

"I'll be careful, I promise." She returned to his embrace and nuzzled his shoulder.

"You'd better."

. . .

Sullivan. The name tasted sour in his mouth. This was all his fault. That jock and his roar! Now he had no fraternity, no friends, and Evie was probably going to dump him. Randall dangled his feet over the sewer, staring at his reflection.

"It wasn't that bad," a voice called, footsteps approaching him. "I like pink, it's my favorite color, and the hearts were cute." She tried jokingly.

"I hate him. I hate Sullivan. One day I'll make him pay," he spat bitterly. Evie sat next to him and pulled him into a comforting hug.

"This is something you need to let go. He didn't know, he wasn't trying to humiliate you."

"Don't defend him!" Randall cried, pushing her away. He immediately regretted it; she was only trying to help. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Randall, look at the bright side, you're an A student, you passed the big exam, and you're going to graduate with honors, daddy even promised he'd recommend you to Monsters Inc when you graduate. Imagine it, you'll be top scarcer, and you'll get you mail from Sully and Mike, won't that be satisfying?"

He had to admit that it was an appealing idea. "And you still got me? Don't cha? I've stuck with you this whole year, and I'll stick with you for the rest of it. I could make doors for MI and you could use them!"

"You're absolutely right." He agreed.

"Good, now stop moping," she punched his shoulder lightly. "Just let it go, let it roll right of your shoulders, a grudge will just make you unhappy." Randall had smiled indulgently and agreed, but inside he knew he'd never forgive Mike for leaving him for Sullivan, or forgive Sully for embarrassing him, no matter how accidental. If only he had let it go, maybe then things would have been different, he might not be lying on the edge of death… if only.

End

_Authors Note: I saw MU today and I LOVED Randall. I felt so bad for the poor dear, I just wanted to hug him :'(_

_I've wanted to write a fic with him for a while and I finally did. It's okay, I think. I alluded to Little Wonders by Rob Thomas, I don't own that song, __Monsters Inc or Monsters University, or Randall, but I did make up Evie. Also, I have no desire to make a squeal, though I doubt anyone would want one. Peace. _


End file.
